The Rescuer is someone who assists when needed and once the mission is completed, withdraws. Often a shady figure, The Rescuer provides a sense of strength and support to help others during a difficult situation.
Bran the Blessed Bran the Blessed, according to Welsh mythology, was a giant and king of Britain. Bran, which translates to “Crow”, was the son of the sea god Mannannan Mac Lir. During his lifetime, he took part in many heroic episodes but his most famous role in mythology would be his Rescuer façade. Malthowch, the King of Ireland at the time, requests Bran’s permission to betroth his sister Branwen. Bran allows the two to wed, however, during a feast celebrating this great news, Bran and Branwen’s astranged half-brother, Efnisien, shows up and flips. He is all bent out of shape because no one asked his permission for his half-sister to get married. Entangled in ferocity, Efnisien mutilates Malthowch’s horses. In an attempt to smooth over the whole situation, Bran gives his new brother-in-law a magic cauldron which restores life.
Once Branwen and her new husband return to Ireland, she realizes that she might’ve made a huge mistake. Malthowch treats her cruelly and forces Branwen to work in the kitchen. Fed up with this monster of a husband, Branwen secretly tames a starling and sends the bird across the Irish sea to her brother Bran, bearing a plea for help. Having received the message, Bran and his brother, Manawydan, set sail from Wales on a rescue mission to save their sister. A few days later Malthowch spots their sails on the horizon, and knowing that he’s about to be made mince meat, hastily builds a house big enough for Bran and offers it as a place for him to live peacefully, and he renounces his kingdom to his son, by Branwen, Gwern. However, the Irish lords disapprove of this action, in retaliation, they hide themselves in flour bags in a desperate attempt to startle and attack the Welsh. Having a keen eye for tricks, Efnisien slaughters the flour bags with the sorry Irish lords inside, throws Gwern into a fire, and thus starts the war between the Irish and the Welsh.
At first the Irish have the advantage of the magic cauldron, being able to resurrect their fallen soldiers, but it wasn’t long before Efnisien pulls another fast one. He plays dead among the heaping mass of dead Irish and is placed in the magic cauldron, once inside he demolishes it from within, swiping the Irish’s only advantage. As the battles continue, Bran becomes mortally wounded in the foot. He orders his men to decapitate and bury his head in London. Realizing that she was the cause of this war, Bran’s sister Branwen dies of grief.
Perseus Perseus, according to Greek mythology, was the fabled founder of Mycenae, Greece, and also the Perseid dynasty that ruled there. Legend has it that Perseus was a slayer of many monsters including the gorgon, Medusa. Aside from this heroic feat, Perseus also rescued and claimed Andromeda.
Andromeda was a greek princess who was chained to a rock to be sacrificed to a sea monster. Her mother, Cassiopia, was the queen of Ethiopia. Thinking that her beauty was equivalent to that of the Nerieds, Poseidon unleashed his wrath upon the family and ordered Cassiopia to fasten her daughter to a rock and become victim to a sea monster. Luckily, Perseus, after having just slain the wicked Medusa, used his flying sandals, provided by Hermes, to fly to the rock and save her.
V For my modern Rescuer I chose the protagonist, and antagonist “V” from V for Vendetta. I consider him a Rescuer because in the movie he rescues not only the damsel in distress ( Evey Hammond ) from some corrupt cops, but also an entire nation from a totalitarian government. However, be aware that he is no knight in shining armor, his ways of rescuing a nation are very controversial. “ People shouldn’t be afraid of their government, government should be afraid of their people”, is the coined line pronounced by V several times during the movie, portraying his rebellion against Norsefire, the corrupt, fascist, government that has brainwashed the people of Britain. You could even classify V as a few other archetypes such as The Anti-Hero, The Martyr, and even The Avenger.
The reason the Rescuer archetype is so widely found among modern movies and literature is because we all hope for that “knight in shining armor” to come and rescue us from our troubles. Some examples of modern Rescuers could include the military, who rescues our nation from war and terror. A priest rescues religious folk from their sins during the act of Reconciliation. However if you’re looking for someone to fly in and save you with their flying sandals, or blow up a major government installation for the greater good, your search will be a very long one. Unfortunately, Rescuers in modern day life are very watered down.
The Rescuer is someone who assists when needed and once the mission is completed, withdraws. Often a shady figure, The Rescuer provides a sense of strength and support to help others during a difficult situation.
Bran the Blessed
Bran the Blessed, according to Welsh mythology, was a giant and king of Britain. Bran, which translates to “Crow”, was the son of the sea god Mannannan Mac Lir. During his lifetime, he took part in many heroic episodes but his most famous role in mythology would be his Rescuer façade. Malthowch, the King of Ireland at the time, requests Bran’s permission to betroth his sister Branwen. Bran allows the two to wed, however, during a feast celebrating this great news, Bran and Branwen’s astranged half-brother, Efnisien, shows up and flips. He is all bent out of shape because no one asked his permission for his half-sister to get married. Entangled in ferocity, Efnisien mutilates Malthowch’s horses. In an attempt to smooth over the whole situation, Bran gives his new brother-in-law a magic cauldron which restores life.
Once Branwen and her new husband return to Ireland, she realizes that she might’ve made a huge mistake. Malthowch treats her cruelly and forces Branwen to work in the kitchen. Fed up with this monster of a husband, Branwen secretly tames a starling and sends the bird across the Irish sea to her brother Bran, bearing a plea for help. Having received the message, Bran and his brother, Manawydan, set sail from Wales on a rescue mission to save their sister. A few days later Malthowch spots their sails on the horizon, and knowing that he’s about to be made mince meat, hastily builds a house big enough for Bran and offers it as a place for him to live peacefully, and he renounces his kingdom to his son, by Branwen, Gwern. However, the Irish lords disapprove of this action, in retaliation, they hide themselves in flour bags in a desperate attempt to startle and attack the Welsh. Having a keen eye for tricks, Efnisien slaughters the flour bags with the sorry Irish lords inside, throws Gwern into a fire, and thus starts the war between the Irish and the Welsh.
At first the Irish have the advantage of the magic cauldron, being able to resurrect their fallen soldiers, but it wasn’t long before Efnisien pulls another fast one. He plays dead among the heaping mass of dead Irish and is placed in the magic cauldron, once inside he demolishes it from within, swiping the Irish’s only advantage. As the battles continue, Bran becomes mortally wounded in the foot. He orders his men to decapitate and bury his head in London. Realizing that she was the cause of this war, Bran’s sister Branwen dies of grief.
Perseus
Andromeda was a greek princess who was chained to a rock to be sacrificed to a sea monster. Her mother, Cassiopia, was the queen of Ethiopia. Thinking that her beauty was equivalent to that of the Nerieds, Poseidon unleashed his wrath upon the family and ordered Cassiopia to fasten her daughter to a rock and become victim to a sea monster. Luckily, Perseus, after having just slain the wicked Medusa, used his flying sandals, provided by Hermes, to fly to the rock and save her.
V
For my modern Rescuer I chose the protagonist, and antagonist “V” from V for Vendetta. I consider him a Rescuer because in the movie he rescues not only the damsel in distress ( Evey Hammond ) from some corrupt cops, but also an entire nation from a totalitarian government. However, be aware that he is no knight in shining armor, his ways of rescuing a nation are very controversial. “ People shouldn’t be afraid of their government, government should be afraid of their people”, is the coined line pronounced by V several times during the movie, portraying his rebellion against Norsefire, the corrupt, fascist, government that has brainwashed the people of Britain. You could even classify V as a few other archetypes such as The Anti-Hero, The Martyr, and even The Avenger.
The reason the Rescuer archetype is so widely found among modern movies and literature is because we all hope for that “knight in shining armor” to come and rescue us from our troubles. Some examples of modern Rescuers could include the military, who rescues our nation from war and terror. A priest rescues religious folk from their sins during the act of Reconciliation. However if you’re looking for someone to fly in and save you with their flying sandals, or blow up a major government installation for the greater good, your search will be a very long one. Unfortunately, Rescuers in modern day life are very watered down.
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